Traction-engine



(No Model.) f 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. MASON.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 3Z7,807. l Patented 001;.` 6, 1885r y, INVENTOR m f @JWW@ N PEYERS,mlu-Lmgnpw. wamingwn. n.9

a fl. f

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. S. MASON.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 327,807. Patented Oct. 6, 1885.

l; WITNESSES mvEJvToR .dttorneys (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

s. MASON.-

TRAGTION ENGINE.

No. 327,807. Patented Oct. 6, 1885.

WI TJV .ESSES IJV' VEJV TOR .dttornez/S.

(No Model.) 4'sheets-sheet 4. S. MASON.

.TRAGTION ENGINE. No. 327.807. Patented Oct. 6, 1885.

1.71 TW .ESIS'ES IJVVEJV'TOR J @y w. dorneg/J,

N. Feniks. Pmwumpwhur. wnningmn. no

Nirnn "raras ArnNr OFFICE.

sANDERs MASON, or nonna, OHIO.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

i' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 327,807, datedOctober 6, 1885.

Application filed July 30, 1885. Serial No. 173,032. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, SANDnRs MasoN, of Homer, in the county of Lickingand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure l is a side View of my improvedtraction-engine. Fig. 2 is a similar view seen from the other side. Fig.3 is a bottom view of the engine. Fig. 4 is a top view of the frontportion of the engineframe. Fig. 5 is a front view. Fig. 6 is a rearview, and Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of the drive-axle and itsbevel-gears.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My invention has relation to that class of traction-engines which may beused for driving various kinds of machinery when not used as atraction-engine; and it consists in the improved construction andcombination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more fully describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the boiler, whichis a usual horizontal boiler having bearings B B, immediately forward ofthe fire-box C, for the main axle D, and having its forward endsupported upon a frame, E, having a circular track, F, provided with adownwardly-projecting flange, G, upon its under side.

The feed-water box His secured under the forward end of the boiler,andhas afeed-pipe, I, and a pipe, J, entering it from the feedpump K, andthe rear end of the boiler is provided with a platform, L, upon whichthe engineer may stand, and which is provided at both sides with boxes Mfor fuel, tools, and other similar purposes.

The steam cylinder N is supported upon brackets O, secured to the upperside of the forward end of the boiler, and the ways P, for the crossheadof the piston-rod Q,are secured to a longitudinal frame-piece, R, therear end of which is supported by the brackets supporting the cylinder,while its forward end is supported by an upright bracket, S, upon theforward frame E. This bracket and abracket, T, at the other side of theframe,is provided with a bearing, U, in which the drive-axle V revolves,and the said drive-shaft has the connecting-rod of the enginearticulated to a crankpin.W, at its end, andis provided with afly-wheel, X, at its other end.

A bevel-pinion, Y, slides upon a feather, Z, upon the middle of thedrive-shaft, and may be secured by a set-screw, A', and this pinionmeshesl with a bevel-pinion, B', secured upon the upper end of a shortvertical shaft, C', turning in a vertical bearing in the middle of ayoke, D', spanning the frontframe longitudi` nally.

A pinion, E', is secured upon the lower end of this short shaft andmeshes with a pinion, F', secured upon the upper end of a short shaft,G', journaled in a vertical bearing, H', at the upper end of one of thebrackets I', in the lower ends of which the axle of the front orsteering-wheel J' isjournaled, and the lower end of this shaft isprovided with a bevel-pin ion, K', which meshes with a cogged rim, L',secured upon one side of the said wheel, so that the said front orsteering wheel may be revolved by the drive-shaft. The brackets carryingthe said front wheel project downward from a circular frame orfth-wheel, M', which revolves within the fiange G of the front frame, E,and the edge of this fifth-wheel is provided with a series of inclinedcogs, N', which are engaged by a worm, O', upon the forward end of ashaft, P', journaled in horizontal bearings upon the side of the boiler,and having a crank-pin, Q', and hand-disk R', upon its rear end,convenient of access for the engineer standing upon the rear platform,so that the engineer, by turning the disk and crankpin, may revolve theworm, and thus turn the fifth-wheel to either side, turning the wheel toeither side, and guiding the engine as it progresses, the steering-wheelbeing propelled by the drive-shaft while it is turned in eitherdirection.

The bevel-pinion Y upon the drive-shaft may be loosened uponV the shaftand slid to one side out of engagement with the bevel-pin ionB',a1lowing the drive-shaft to revolve without driving thesteering-wheelwhen the engine is to be used for driving machinery andnot as a traction engine.

A bevel-pinion, S', slides upon a feather at IOO the outer end of thedrive-shaft, near the fly- :I the steam-engine supported upon thecircular wheel, and has a grooved collar, T, upon its inner side, whichis engaged by a strap, U', projecting rearward from the outer end of arack-bar,V, which slides in ways W, formed transversely in the forwardside of the bracket T, which forms the bearing for the drive-shaft.

The rack-bar is engaged by a cogged segment at the upper end of a lever,X', pivoted upon the forward side of bracket T, and asimilar segmentupon the lower end of this lever is engaged by a segmental disk, Y, uponthe forward end of a shaft, Z', journaled in horizontalv bearings A2upon the side of the boiler, having a hand-lever, B2, at its rear endprovided with a spring-lock, G2, which engages a notched segment, D2, atthe rear end of the boiler, the rocking of this hand-lever throwing thebevelpinion farther in or out upon the drive-shaft. This pinion meshes,when it isthrown in upon the drive-shaft, with a crown-wheel, E2, uponthe forward end of aninclined shaft, F2,which is journaled in suitablebearings, G2, upon the side of the boiler, and the rear and lower end ofthe shaft is provided with a bevel-pinion, H2,which meshes with abevel-wheel, I2, turning upon the main axle D, which axle has atraction-wheel, J 2, secured upon one end, and another traction-wheel,K2, turning upon its other end.

The bevel-wheel I2 has anumberof recesses, L, having radial shafts M2,upon which turn bevel-pinions N 2, and these pinions mesh with abevel-wheel, O2, secured upon the shaft at one side of the bevel-wheel,and with a bevelwheel, P, secured to the inner side of thetraction-wheel, so that when the resistance upon one wheel is as greatas upon the other wheel the wheels will revolve together; but in case ofone wheel being stoppd or reversed, as in turning corners, or in asimilar case, the one wheel may either stop or reverse, causing theother wheel to move with a corresponding greater rapidity.

It willthus be seen that the mechanism driving the main axle may bethrown out of gear by tilting the hand-lever and disengaging the pinionmeshing with the bevel-wheel at the upperend of the inclined shaft,allowing either the front wheel or steeringwheel to be revolvedindependently of the drive-wheels, or allowing the drive-shaft to berevolved with out moving the drive-wheels when the engine is used as amotor for machinery.

It will be seen that by having the steeringwheel connected with thedriveaxle, so that it will be revolved by the same, the engine will bepossessed of greater traction-power than an engine only having thedrive-wheels upon the main axle revolved,and the steering-VY wheel beingrevolved, when it is turned to either side, it will assist in turningthe en gine, making it possible to turn the engine on a space equal toits own length.-

By having the boiler supported upon the main axle and drive-wheels, andby having the drive-shaft, its fly-wheel, and a portion of front frame,the weight of the'entire engine is evenly distributed over the threewheels, so that they will all have the same traction-power, and thewater-box being placed under the forward end of the boiler, it will belocated so that it will not be in the way for any parts of the machine,while it will add to the weight forward of the drive-wheels,and be at aplace where the water contained in it may be somewhat heated bythe heatfrom the boiler above itand from the lire-box immediately to the rear ofit.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United Statesl. In a traction-engine, thecombination of themaiu frame having the forwardly-projecting circularframe formed with the annular downwardly projecting flange, the circularWheel supporting frame having the rim provided with inclined cogs, theworm engaging the said cogs and secured upon a shaft extending to therear end of the machine, the shaft journaled above the center of thecircular frames and having the pinion at its lower end and suitableconnection for revolving it from the driveshaft, and the vertical shafthaving a pinion meshing with the central pinion, and journaled in abearing upon the circular turning-frame,and provided with a pinionmeshing with a cogged rim upon the drive-wheel, as and for the purposeshown and set forth.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination of the drive-shaft having afeather near its ilywheel, the bearing for the said shaft having thetransverse ways upon its forward side, the bevel pinion sliding upon thefeather and having a grooved collar upon its inner face, the cogged racksliding in the way upon the bearing and having a strapl fitting in thegroove of the collar of the pinion, a lever having cogged segments atboth ends, one engaging the cogged rack, a shaft having a hand-lever atits rear end and having a cogged segment at its forward end meshing withthe lower segment upon the lever, and a crownwheel meshing with thebevelpinion when the latter is slid inward, and secured upon a shaftdriving the main axle, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

3. In a traction-engine, a horizontal boiler supported upon thedrive-wheels, a forwardly-extending frame secured to the front end ofthe boiler and supporting the drive and steering mechanism, said frameand mechanism being supported by a single steeringwheel, and awater-tank secured to the under side of the frontend of the boiler,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: SANDERS MASON.

AUGUsTUs HIcKERsoN, WILLIAM MoD-AMEL.

IOO

IIO

